Cyber Monday and Black Friday. By now we have all heard stories about how crazy these shopping days can get. And this year is no exception. From $199 flat screen 42 inch TVs to pepper-sprayed customers, to employees protesting the early start times, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become an annual shopping experience unlike any other. We know the deals are what drive these two crazy consumer days. But what about customer experience? How much do people enjoy these days? Does customer service get kicked to the side like unwanted litter? Or are stores actually delivering an acceptable level of [...]
Whew! Black Friday 2011 is now behind us. We can all relax and catch our breaths. And then get on with the rest of our holiday season. Personally, I think the whole idea Black Friday is way over done. But that’s just my personal opinion. What’s important (much more important than my personal opinion) is that it’s a very real phenomenon. And it’s (apparently) here to stay. So when I think of Black Friday I can’t help wondering how the day went for most people. Was it a good customer experience? A bad one? Somewhere in the middle? Was it [...]
by Kevin Stirtz on August 3, 2009 · 1 comment
I need your help! Here at Amazing Service Guy Headquarters, I’m busy planning a new set of customer service products. These will be focused on one topic with the sole purpose of helping you improve customer service in your organization. But before I roll my sleeves up and get to work, I’d like to know what you think. (Because that’s what matters most.) I’ve chosen a few topics to start the conversation. But if you have other ideas – other topics you feel are more useful right now, please share them.
Every week I am faced with examples of how to get good feedback from customers. These days it’s a popular trend. It seems more companies than ever are surveying their customers. But many do it badly. Most attempts to engage me (as a customer) are surveys that are either too long, not relevant or inflexible. They usually require too much of my time and fail to let me say what I really want to say. They do not allow me to offer feedback in a way that is easy and convenient. (And if you fail the “easy and convenient” test, [...]
by Kevin Stirtz on April 7, 2009
In a recent article on airline performance and customer service, the author cites the 19th annual Airline Quality Rating which shows most airlines had improved their on time performance and their customer service in 2008. This sounds like a welcome change for any of us who travel. But one of the study’s authors noted that passenger volume was down for the same period. He suggested that made it easier for airlines to improve service: “We know the system performs better when it’s less stressed by high passenger volume,” said Dean Headley, an associate professor of marketing at the W. Frank [...]
by Kevin Stirtz on March 31, 2009
Last week I read that the Minneapolis – St. Paul (MSP) Airport had been named the best large airport in North America (and #3 in the world) for customer service quality. As a lifelong Minnesotan, I felt some pride that our hometown airport did so well in this survey. But I also saw something I didn’t like with the survey. It’s missing something. I have spent more time in airports than I like to think about. I know
In a recent report published by Forrester, AOL earned the top score among the USA’s largest Internet Service Providers. This seems like something to crow about until you look at the details, as Larry Dignan (of ZDNet) did. What he found took most of the air out of AOL’s sails. AOL did in fact have the highest score in the report. But that’s like bragging about hitting the longest shot at your local putt-putt golf course. AOL’s score of 71 gave it a highly coveted “okay” ranking in Forrester’s Customer Experience Index. Verizon earned a “poor” rating and Comcast and [...]
Today my company published a new report on customer service. It’s called: “The State of Customer Service” and it offers a glimpse of what real people think about customer service these days. Surprisingly, the news is not all gloom and doom. But it does suggest that, in general, organizations need to continue working hard to improve their service.
Here’s an interesting note from MarketWatch. They report that almost two-thirds of telcommunications companies in North America fail to respond to customer requests within 24 hours. In a recent survey released by eGain Communications Corp., they found that 20% of communications companies (cable, telcos, satellite TV/radio and mobile phone) failed to offer any response to inquires from customers. Another 45% did not respond within 24 hours. This survey was done using email communications. In a sector that is getting beat down by customer churn, you’d think they’d score a little better in their responsiveness to customers. It makes me wonder [...]
by Kevin Stirtz on December 9, 2008
We’re getting close to the end of 2008. And what a memorable year it has been. Of the many things I’ll remember about 2008, one thing that stands out is how customer service has changed. But, what I think is not nearly as important as what YOU think. Now is your opportunity to be heard. Tell us what you think of customer service in 2008. The survey will remain open until 12/31/08. After that we will tabulate and summarize the results in a report to be published in early January 2009. (This survey is now closed. You can see the [...]
